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Henson, who faces a club inquiry into complaints that he was among a rowdy group on a train returning to Cardiff from London, broke a bone in his left hand following an accidental collision in the EDF Energy Anglo-Welsh Cup match.

The Wales centre had hoped to play in tonight's Heineken Cup pool tie against Ulster, but the injury is too severe and he has had his hand put in a light cast.

Henson is expected to be fit by early January, which should not harm his chances of playing in the RBS Six Nations Championship. Ospreys have a fit James Hook to play at outside-half, after he missed the match at Harlequins due to a minor knock. The Welsh region, five points behind leaders Gloucester in Pool Two, will be hoping they defeat Ulster and that Bourgoin upset the Premiership club in France tonight.

Gloucester have had to rejig their backline following the decision of Lesley Vainikolo, the wing, to return home to New Zealand because of a family bereavement. His absence puts Olly Morgan at full-back and moves Iain Balshaw to the wing.

Ryan Lamb, who must answer a public order charge later this month following an incident last weekend, keeps his place at outside-half ahead of Chris Paterson who is on the bench.

Gloucester field a pack without the injured Marco Bortolami and Andy Hazell due to calf and knee injuries respectively. The third pool match tonight features Leinster and Edinburgh at the RDS Showground in Dublin. Brian O'Driscoll has been cleared to play despite limping out of Leinster's victory over Munster in Cork last week.

Bath and Newcastle will be out to maintain unbeaten records in the European Challenge Cup tonight in away games against Albi and Connacht respectively. Butch James, who has made a successful start to his Bath career since joining from South Africa's World Cup-winning squad, has a new halfback partner in Nick Walshe in France. Michael Claassens is on the bench with Olly Barkley, who is replaced by Shaun Berne at centre.

Bath have been hit further by injuries to front-row men. David Flatman has had a second operation on a shoulder problem, while Duncan Bell has had surgery on a severed bicep.

Newcastle give Carl Hayman his full debut tonight in Galway after the New Zealand tight-head appeared as a substitute against Wasps last weekend.